Let's Talk Homework - Page 2

[blessedwithboys]

I would opt out.  Actually, I do opt out.  You can search for previous posts I've written.  HW is nonsense, IMO.  We don't do it.  And ds makes honor roll every quarter.  :)

[MsBirdie]

Wow sounds like the teacher has a lot to deal with.  I agree with PPs idea of going to principal, special ed, Gate teacher (whoever is appropriate) and stating that your chilld needs to be accomodated but not putting the focus on the teacher. 

Does it seem like the school as a whole has these issues or is it just that class?  That could change your course of action.  This does not sound like a typical 1st grade class I have seen. However, I have a friend who works in a school where that is her reality as a 1st grade teacher. It just depends on each individual classroom and school. 

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by TiredX2 

Just to clarify, this is a 1st grade class?

Yes, it is. I know that the administrators cannot group students by ability, but I also know that most administrators are very careful to place students. I really wonder if perhaps DS' teacher does well with students who have special needs. To be fair, all of the students weren't like the ones I described, but I'd say that easily 10 of the 24 kids in the class seemed to have some type of delay or behavioral concern. Given that they lose part of recess or have silent lunch almost everyday, I feel pretty confident in that assessment. 

When I walked down the hall this morning (which I haven't done since the first week of school), I saw that most of the other teachers had charts & graphs the students made or stories on the wall. DS' teacher did not have anything out, so maybe there is a skew in her class toward students who need additional help, which makes it an even worse fit for DS.

[Linda on the move]

Wow, what a difficult situation. I've no idea what I would do.

Is having him moved to another class an option? Are charter schools or other alternative placements for him an option?

I'm all for kids of mixed abilities working together (I have a child with sn) but 24 kids that age is a lot to start with, having so many that are clearly behind seems very, very difficult -- unless a lot of them are spending big chunks of that day in pull out programs. For kids who are partially mainstreamed, lunch is one of the times they would most likely be in their "regular" class, even if they didn't spend a ton of time there.

When you do meet with the teacher, at least you have a much better understanding of what she is dealing with so that you can talk together on the same page, reaching for a solution, rather than going in angry.

[mar123]

Based on my experience, what you are describing is not the normal level for a 1st grade class. I teach high school, and last year out of 70 students, 27 of them were resource, 504, or ELL. Which is A LOT! If you had looked through the work all of my students turned in, you would never have believed all of the students were in the same grade. I get that many kids because I have taught special ed in the past and they know I am willing to the work with the teachers to ensure student success. At the high school level it is much easier to deal with those types of differences. I also have a number of "honors dropouts." Kids who have chosen regular classes the second year of high school for various reasons, but have the ability to be in honors. I do a lot of specialized work for my different levels, but in 1st grade the differences are far more apparent and difficult to deal with. It seems like your son's teacher is the one picked to work with the kids who may have special needs of some type. I know my nephew, who is very bright and sweet natured, was ALWAYS put in those classes because the teachers knew he would help those kids, not tease them, and not add other types of problems to the work load. This may have happened with your son. But the teacher should be differentiating the work for him. Clearly, this work is way beneath his level and not rigorous whatsoever, which is one of the buzz words in the educational world: rigor, relevance, and relationships. Gosh, if I had a dollar for every time I have heard these, I could retire!

Anyway, good luck with your situation. I would try and get him moved if possible, or at least get the teacher to differentiate his work. So many people think differentiation is only for the kids having trouble keeping up; many times it needs to be done for the advanced kids.

[whatsnextmom]

Originally Posted by mar123 

. I know my nephew, who is very bright and sweet natured, was ALWAYS put in those classes because the teachers knew he would help those kids, not tease them, and not add other types of problems to the work load. 

This happened to my oldest. She is very empathetic and handles difficult children very well but at a high cost to herself. We finally had to step forward and put a stop to it. We encourage compassion but it's not fair to continually put a small child in that position.

[VisionaryMom]

We talked to Teacher today. She explained the reason for her lengthy absence from school. I won't share it here (though I try to be careful to hide my identity), but she had a family emergency. I feel a little better about the length of time for getting a conference.

Anyway, she did say that she does well working with special needs students, but that she got a really heavy load this year. We basically have 2 options. We can leave DS in her class. He would mostly be "helping" during math class. She said that she already has him helping other students. He would not do the homework that the class does but would get differentiated work. The school's math coach gave her some work that would be more appropriate for him. He would bring home the work, and we work on it with him (basically because there's nowhere to fit in instruction for him). 

Option 2 is to send him to a different classroom. They're over capacity for 1st grade. They're shifting some things so that beginning in 1-2 weeks, there will be a new first-grade class. Because of the way this is working, that class will have no IEP students. All of the students will not be at the same ability level, but the idea is that there wouldn't be any individual children who require significant resources because of cognitive or behavioral concerns. The downside is that we would be starting over as far as advocating for DS because the idea is that everyone in this class would be doing the same work.

We have to email her by the end of the weekend. Thoughts?

[Peony]

From what you have described, I'd be moving to the other classroom if it were me. 

[whatsnextmom]

I'd move him. Some kids really enjoy being the helper but a whole year and at the intensity level you are describing is too much to expect of a 1st grader. Ask his current teacher for a reference or note to new teacher stating what accomodations have already been agreed upon. That way you don't lose any ground.

[whatsnextmom]

I'd move him. Some kids really enjoy being the helper but a whole year and at the intensity level you are describing is too much to expect of a 1st grader. Ask his current teacher for a reference or note to new teacher stating what accomodations have already been agreed upon. That way you don't lose any ground.

[Emmeline II]

VisionaryMom

Option 2 is to send him to a different classroom. They're over capacity for 1st grade. They're shifting some things so that beginning in 1-2 weeks, there will be a new first-grade class. Because of the way this is working, that class will have no IEP students. All of the students will not be at the same ability level, but the idea is that there wouldn't be any individual children who require significant resources because of cognitive or behavioral concerns. The downside is that we would be starting over as far as advocating for DS because the idea is that everyone in this class would be doing the same work.

We have to email her by the end of the weekend. Thoughts?

He needs a move... if they are overcapacity and are moving students then some would be moving from the other class. If he has to go to the new class I'd submit a written request for an IEP meeting after the move if you feel his needs aren't being met. I'm pretty sure they can't legally refuse him an IEP because they want an IEP-free class.

How Can I Fight for a Gifted Child? - Wrightslaw

Edited by Emmeline II - 9/30/11 at 4:54pm

[Linda on the move]

I vote move him, and the wait and see what the teacher is actually doing with the kids before deciding if he needs something different. As you said, his class isn't appropriate for him, but they aren't doing what most the first grade classes are doing. With no IEP students they could really fly. With no serious behavior issues, they could spend a lot of time doing cool thing. It's not setting anything back if you put him into a situation where he needs LESS accommodation.

The school knows the situation isn't working -- they are offering a fix. Try it and see what happens.

[MJB]

I would move him. His current class does NOT sound like a normal 1st grade. Neither of my sons have ever had a classmate who couldn't speak in complete sentences, except brand new immigrants (who could speak fine in their first language and learn English quick). Not even in preschool. I just don't think that would be a good situation for your son. 

The new class sounds like it could work well. My youngest son is in 1st grade. They are in ability groups in math, reading, and spelling. In math his class is counting money, adding, subtracting, and telling time. In reading he gets level "V" books for homework and works with another boy who also reads at a ~5th grade level. His spelling words last week included pleasure, civilized, and opposition. I don't think differentiating takes a lot of his teacher's time.

Between my two (older one is suspected ADHD and dysgraphic, younger is gifted) I have already met with both teachers this year. I was able to get in within two days each time. 

[ollyoxenfree]

I lean toward Option 2, moving, as well, but do you know anything about the "new" teacher? I would probably try to get a little information about her/him first - personality, teaching style, preferred methods etc. I'm also wondering whether you couldn't convince the school's math coach to continue identifying appropriate materials and resources for him, since s/he is already familiar with your ds and his level of work. Even if he changes classes, he shouldn't have to start over entirely as far as differentiation goes. 

[VisionaryMom]

We did ask for him to move classrooms. All of his information on assessments will go with him, and the plan is that the new teacher will shadow each current teacher for a day to get an idea of how the students' schedules currently work. Then she will meet with the kids for a couple of transition days. I'm hoping that it goes okay, though DS really has had a lot of transition and stress from our family life in the past 6 months or so. I'm just not feeling awesome about his school right now and am not sure what we will do for the long term.

[ollyoxenfree]

I hope the transition goes well and things improve quickly .  Over the years, my dc have had to make several changes - moving homes, classes, schools and so on. I once worried a lot about how it would affect them, but they've become resilient, flexible, socially adept people. They are unafraid to take on new challenges because they know that they can manage. Hopefully, your ds will also develop some "survival skills", as we've come to call them.   

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

  Over the years, my dc have had to make several changes - moving homes, classes, schools and so on. I once worried a lot about how it would affect them, but they've become resilient, flexible, socially adept people. They are unafraid to take on new challenges because they know that they can manage.

This has been our experience too. Some of the transitions have been rough -- we've lived all over US and in two provinces of Canada. At times, it was hard on the kids. But ultimately those were the experiences that helped shape our children.

It's character building!

[karne]

Originally Posted by VisionaryMom 

I think that you made the right decision.  Yes, the change might throw your ds for a little bit, but ultimately, if he's getting his needs met in a better way, the change will be positive.  I don't think that it's fair for kids to be put in the role of "helper" when their own needs aren't being met.

[AllisonR]

I didn't bother writing move him, as it seemed like overkill. Yes, maybe there is a bit of chaos in his life right now, but the situation he was in seemed so unhealthy, that a little more short-term chaos would be worth it. Please keep us updated on how it goes with the new class and the new teacher.